


Winging It

by xuxiris (yujinsverse)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: How Do I Tag, M/M, also junhao get a kid at the end because i said so, also long hair minghao, and we didn't have sperm banks and shit back then, bird!jihoon, bird!minghao, bird!seungcheol, bird!vernon, bird!wonwoo, butler!jeonghan, butler!joshua, cook!seokmin, guard!mingyu, i just made half of svt birds and i dont regret it, junhui is having bird problems, minghao is a bird but also a human and a very good looking human, not biologially because this is in 1853, please give the boy some scissors, prince!junhui, seokmin has the tea and not the type that the queen drinks when junhui does dumb stuff, singer!seungkwan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:02:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24883528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yujinsverse/pseuds/xuxiris
Summary: Prince Junhui adores his eagle, Minghao more than anything, but these last days the bird has been acting downright suspicious. Combine that with rumors of a bird-man with eagle wings and mysterious feathers, and Minghao's suspicious behavior might be hinting to more than just a change in the weather.
Relationships: Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 2
Kudos: 55





	Winging It

Junhui was seven when he first got Minghao. Back then the eagle didn't have a name and was just #1317. Junhui likes Minghao much better. Minghao had been the smallest and quietest member of the nest, and Junhui hadn't paid much attention to him at first. The others were more energetic, and little Junhui enjoyed the games they played with them. Then, he had gone to ask his father something and had overheard the owner of the nesting center mention cooking Minghao since no one would want him. Junhui had run as fast as he could back to the nest, picking up Minghao and carrying him to his parents to tell them he had made a decision.

After a lot of arguing and debate as to whether Minghao was worth it, his parents surrendered and Minghao was welcomed into the castle as a member of the royal family. Chan, Soonyoung's eagle had made fast friends with Minghao and the two eagles had become as close as their owners. Minghao proved himself to be surprisingly athletic, after being feed actual meat a few days, and Junhui's parents began to praise him for finding a "diamond in the rough". Junhui thought they were being stupid, but Minghao appreciated the praise.

Junhui and Minghao are best friends (don't tell Soonyoung) and Junhui knows nothing will ever change that. The eagle _get_ s him, gets that he doesn't care about pretty princess, but dreams about handsome princes instead. Minghao doesn't judge him when he comes back into his bedroom from a dinner party crying because no one cares that Junhui doesn't want to talk about marriage and starting a family. Minghao is Junhui's best friend, and Junhui is Minghao's.

╬╬═════════════╬╬

"Hao! Where are you?"

Junhui is walking around in the royal gardens, looking for Minghao the first time it happens.

The rose beds are in full bloom now, just in time for Junhui's birthday. It's spring in Egalia, and Junhui loves it. The markets are busy and full of life, so no one notices a figure with their hood pulled down over their face and their eyes full of wonder. Spring is the busiest time in the palace as well, so no one knows if Junhui climbs down his window to go singing at local restaurants after lights out.

"Junhui! You're not going to believe this!"

"What is it Soonyoung? Did your dad finally bring you a tiger?"

"No! Apparently, someone spotted a dude with _eagle wings_ in the garden. Can you believe it?"

Junhui wonders if Minghao saw this "dude with eagle wings" if he'd tell him about it if he did. He hopes Minghao would.

"Junnie?"

A loud screech sounds and Minghao appears through a row of peach trees. The eagle eagerly lands on Junhui's shoulder and rubs his sharp beak against the tender flesh of Junhui's cheeks. If Junhui hadn't been so worried, he might be annoyed, but he can't bring himself to feel anything other than joy that Minghao had returned to him.

"Your impossible, Junnie. Have fun with your bird friend. I'm going to go hunt with Chan."

Minghao chips at the mention of hunting and Junhui can only imagine how much going hunting with Chan and Soonyoung would please the eagle.

"Soon, wait up! Hao and I are coming with you!"

Soonyoung stops, waiting until Junhui catches up with him and entwining their elbows together before he calls Chan and the four set off to get permission from the King and Queen.

╬╬═════════════╬╬

"Prince Junhui, time to wake up. Minghao is out in the gardens and I can arrange for breakfast to be delivered there if you're interested in joining him."

At the sound of Minghao's name, Junhui jumps out of bed and over to his closet. Jeonghan laughs at the younger's enthusiasm and moves to tell something to Joshua, who nods and exits silently.

"I'll have Joshua tell Seokmin to send down breakfast to the gazebo by the peach trees. Minghao seems to enjoy mornings there."

"Thank you Jeonghan! Tell Joshua and Seokmin thanks for me!"

"I will. Now, hurry up and get dressed! Your breakfast is going to get cold!"

Junhui dresses relatively quickly. Black leather pants and plain brown leather riding boots paired with a cream-colored wool sweater. His crown is placed on his head and he mentally bemoans how bland his hair looks. He envies Joshua and Soonyoung for being able to dye their hair. When he has kids, he'll let them dye their hair, he thinks.

"Junhui! Breakfast! Hurry up!"

Junhui quickly slams his closet door shut and races down the stairs, head swimming with thoughts of Minghao and scrambled eggs.

Jeonghan stops petting his eagle and gives him a once-over when he arrives, panting and out of breath and Junhui laughs when Seungcheol, Jeonghan's eagle, gently bites his ear to make the human resume his petting.

Vernon, Joshua's eagle is sitting in Joshua's lap, happily eating the little pieces of meat the human is feeding him as Junhui sits down. Vernon chirps his acknowledgment, and Joshua greets him cheerfully.

"Seokminnie here has some good gossip from the garden staff, don't you?"

Everyone turns to Seokmin who is happily petting his eagle, Jihoon. The eagle makes a grumpy sound when Seokmin stops petting him but does nothing to take the human attention away from the others.

"So, apparently the gardener found a feather from in the tulip beds that he swears belongs to the winged man one of the other gardeners swears she saw. Soonyoung already told you about the initial sighting, right?"

Junhui nods, turning around in his chair when he hears a familiar screech. Minghao appears from behind the peach trees (again) and lands on Junhui's shoulder pads, nuzzling his cheek and making happy chirping noises when Junhui pets him.

"Oh! Apparently, the feather looked really similar to Minghao's too. Isn't that odd?"

Minghao makes a scandalized noise and they all laugh, all thoughts of the strands eagle winged man forgotten.

╬╬═════════════╬╬

"Junhui! What are you doing?"

Junhui freezes, halfway out the window. This is the worst time for Joshua to suddenly decide to check in on him.

"Minghao got out a-and I was trying to get him back in!"

Joshua's eyes narrow in suspicion, but Vernon chirps and bites his ear gently, so he just nods and shuts the door. Junhui mentally thanks the eagle and begins the climb down from his turret bedroom to the garden of the castle. Minghao chirps his encouragement as he makes his way down, clutching tightly to the rope. He can't afford to fall, not when he's promised Seungkwan that he'd be there.

"Quiet, Minghao. We have to be very careful tonight. I love your voice, but we have to keep this quiet as possible."

Minghao chirps softly once more before going silent and watching Junhui finish climbing down. They walk in silence down the marble roads, all the way from the palace to a small bar Junhui and Seungkwan sing at. Unlike Junhui's other friends, Seungkwan isn't royal or high-up on the social ladder. He's kind and lets Junhui sing on stage with him.

Minghao chirps a goodbye to Junhui, moving from his shoulder pads to sit on the roof, and he enters the bar with a smile and butterflies of excitement in his stomach.

When Soonyoung tells him they spotted feathers at the same bar Junhui and Minghao snuck out to last night and Minghao chirps again, Junhui doesn't laugh but looks curiously at Minghao instead.

╬╬═════════════╬╬

"Hao, there's a ball tonight. I know you like picking my clothes, so I'll leave it to you."

Minghao chirps happily and perches on Junhui's left shoulder, sorting through clothes with his beak until he finds what he likes and chirps to affirm his decision.

It's a black top with gold embroidery around the collar and Junhui can't help but be impressed by his eagle's impeccable fashion sense. The matching pants are buried deep in a set of mahogany drawers, and Junhui has to dig through them to find them.

He doesn't bother with changing in his bathroom, his mom used to bathe him in the same room as Minghao, so it's not like the eagle hasn't seen some things. He puts his crown back on his head before turning to face Minghao.

"How do I look, Hao?"

Minghao chirps cheerfully, and Junhui wishes he knew what Minghao said so he didn't have to always guess.

"I wish you were human, Hao. That would be so cool, wouldn't it! We could go hunting together, I could teach you to ride horseback and I wouldn't have to go to these stupid balls alone."

Minghao doesn't answer.

Junhui opens his mouth to say something, anything, but Jeonghan bursts through the door and grabs his hand, dragging him into the hallway and towards his least favorite place on Earth.

The ballroom is crowded with people who flirt with him and tell him everything they or their daughters could offer. Junhui doesn't want to listen, wants to lie in bed with Minghao, and cry into his pillow while Minghao rubs his head against Junhui's cheek. He does anyway because marriage is more important to his parents and who cares about their kids in 1853? That's so 1700's.

When he comes back, Minghao is perched on his bed, staring at a particularly large feather on the floor, and Junhui can't help but wonder what on Earth his bird is trying to tell him.

╬╬═════════════╬╬

Junhui loves hunting with Minghao.

Mingyu is somewhere nearby, probably petting Wonwoo and relaxing in the carriage they took to the woods.

Minghao had flown off somewhere, not that Junhui's worried and wants his comfort bird or anything. 

"Hao, where are you? 

Definitely not worried.

"Hao?"

Junhui hears a faint noise in the distance, and after remembering that Mingyu and Wonwoo are in the opposite direction, heads deeper into the forest in search of the cause of the noise.

"Ha- !"

A boy, no older than Junhui stands in the middle of the forest, large wings akin to those of an eagle wrapped around himself to keep him from being naked. His hair reaches down to his shoulders, and Junhui has to admit that he somehow pulls it off. 

"Junhui. What are you doing here?"

"How do you know my name? What did you do to my bird, you evil-"

"I am your bird, believe it or not."

The two stare at each other for a moment and Junhui wonders how Minghao-if he even is Minghao-is so calm throughout this encounter. Then again, Minghao was never that hyperactive like Chan. 

"You're my bird."

"Yes."

"You're Minghao."

"Yes."

"You're a bird and a human."

"Yes."

"You're kinda hot."

"Y- what?"

"NOTHING!"

This is it. This is how Prince Moon Junhui of Egalia dies. Mortified to death because he called his bird who happens to also be a human kinda hot. 

"You're kinda hot too."

╬╬═════════════╬╬

"Then what happened? Daddy, you can't just leave it at that!"

"Why not, hmm?"

"Because no one kissed! Uncle Jeonghan says people who are in love hafta kiss!"

"Well, Uncle Jeonghan is an idiot. Besides, it's past your bedtime and your Dad hates it when you don't get enough sleep."

"Daddy, 'm not tired."

"That makes the two of us. Let's go out and sit on the balcony and I'll tell you the rest. Be quiet, okay?"

"Okay! I'll race you there!"

The little girl takes off running towards the balcony with the enthusiasm only little kids who were promised the end of their bedtime story have, and her Daddy turns to face his exasperated husband.

"Hao, darling, why isn't Minsoo in bed yet? You know it's past her bedtime, right?"

"I know. Junnie, she's turning seven tomorrow. Let the girl live a little, yeah? I'll make sure she gets straight to bed as soon as I finish the story."

"Fine, but if she doesn't want to wake up in the morning because you tired her out, that's your problem. Not mine."

"I know, Junnie. Go get some rest. Running a kingdom is something I know you can't do without sleep."

"Fine, just make sure she's asleep by a reasonable time. I love you, Hao."

"Love you too, Junnie. Now go to sleep. I'll deal with the little demon."

**Author's Note:**

> wowowow i wrote this at great clips and i plotted it in the car there and edited on the way back please excuse any shitty grammar ive been stanning svt for abt a month now and when bird minghao and prince junhui popped into my brain i KNEW i had to do it and so i made this!! criticism nd comments r always appreciated pls tell me if i should do more fics like this if u wanna <3


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